Spanish law enforcement officials have identified the Guadalquivir River as a critical channel for drug trafficking, following a recent operation that intercepted a large shipment of cocaine linked to a Brazilian criminal organization.

Lieutenant Colonel Óscar Remacha, head of the Narcotics Department of the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard, described the river as having become a 'highway for drugs,' highlighting the urgent need for action against increasing narcotraffic activities.

In response to this growing challenge, a maritime intelligence team was established within the Central Anti-Drug Group seven months ago to enhance the Civil Guard's resources in combating drug trafficking.

According to Remacha, one of the primary concerns along the Guadalquivir is the difficulty in intercepting speedboats used by traffickers, who are often armed and highly knowledgeable about the river's complex marsh areas.

Law enforcement faces substantial challenges due to the sheer volume of narcotic boats entering the river simultaneously, which can overwhelm police interception efforts.

These speedboats often operate in coordinated groups to improve their chances of successfully unloading their cargo while evading police controls.

Despite significant drug seizures—totaling several tons of cocaine—as a result of organized operations led by the Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office, the high volume of traffic of these rapid boats continues to be a persistent issue.

The establishment of the new maritime intelligence division aims to gather critical information about criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking to enforce law and order effectively.

The Guadalquivir has now emerged as one of the hotbeds of narcotraffic in Europe, as drug traffickers have increasingly turned to it over the past few years, shifting away from previous routes via the beaches of Campo de Gibraltar.

About 30 days prior to the successful operation, intelligence reports alerted the Civil Guard that a major Latin American criminal organization, Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), was planning to move a substantial quantity of cocaine into Europe at once.

The PCC, recognized as one of the most powerful drug trafficking syndicates in Brazil and South America, was reportedly coordinating with an Albanian mafia group, requiring connections with local groups in Andalusia.

Detection efforts by the Civil Guard revealed that a drug submarine was positioned off the Brazilian coast, prepared to transport 6.6 tons of cocaine directly to the Guadalquivir River.

Authorities monitored the submarine’s journey across the Atlantic Ocean over approximately ten days.

Upon its identification 500 nautical miles south of the Azores and 680 miles from the Canary Islands, Portuguese authorities were notified.

The seized drugs were found in hundreds of packages wrapped in brightly colored plastic.

According to law enforcement, these drugs were intended to be stored in safe houses controlled by Andalusian clans along the Guadalquivir before being distributed across Europe.

This operation, dubbed Nautilus, marked a historical interception as it was the first time a drug submarine had been captured in open seas, with collaboration from the Portuguese police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).